Golf Ball and Swing Speed

[Teamanglerx]

In the next week or so I plan on getting a record of my club head speed.  I currently play the Nike PD soft and I am curious about performance at a normal to higher club head speed (85 mph+).  Would a soft golf ball like this not play as well at a higher club head speed?

[bunkerputt]

Decide on what you want out of a golf ball.  For me, it's short iron/short game feel and control, and putting feel.  I never fit my ball to my driver.  Softer balls generally launch lower and I think they will spin less as a result.

[saevel25]

Really, you don't get much yardage difference between golf balls with the driver. I think there is a total of 5 yards difference between all the golf balls titliest offers. So really, this hype about being longer, shorter, its not that huge of a deal. Maybe 5-10 yards at most.

What is more important is getting a ball that feels good. Really, thats all that matters, confidence. I have played dozen different types of golf balls over the year, i had my favorites, and non, but really there wasn't that drastic of a difference in performance.

The only thing i might see is wedge shots, and spin. Thats were the major difference will come in between premium and non premium golf balls. But of course you got to hit the ball first, with a good swing path.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Always decide on a ball from the green backward. If you can't putt with it (too clicky, doesn't look right, comes off the face too fast/slow) then change it. If it's good for putting check chipping, then pitching, then short/mid irons then hybrids and woods last. There's no point in squeezing an extra 10 yards out of a drive just to waste that drive completely by three-putting.

[sean_miller]

Distance control and trajectory off the tee. If a ball sails higher than it should off a driver, or tends to sail long on good shots (not flyers) from the fairway, that ball does not stay in my bag long.

[Teamanglerx]

Thanks for the replies.  My concern is that with as soft as the Nike PD soft is am I getting to much compression with my swing.  I was thinking about changing to the Nike Crush or the Titleist NXT if that was the case.  I do like the control around the greens I get with the soft but the control from middle irons and my driver is a concern.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by Teamanglerx

Thanks for the replies.  My concern is that with as soft as the Nike PD soft is am I getting to much compression with my swing.  I was thinking about changing to the Nike Crush or the Titleist NXT if that was the case.  I do like the control around the greens I get with the soft but the control from middle irons and my driver is a concern.

I find softer balls offer less control around the green.  You get too much of a spring-like effect, so you have to take much easier and shorter swings.  It feels like getting fliers on every shot to me.  It's not reality, but it feels like there is no longer a one-to-one relation of how hard you swing to how far the ball goes.  I want short game shots to feel as much like tossing with my right hand as possible.  There's no spring action when you toss a ball, so I don't want my golf ball to have any as well.  Of course it has some, but it feels like that to me.  Like Saevel25 and MiniBlueDragon said, distance differences between balls is hype and you want to select a ball from the green backwards.  They are right on the money there.

[saevel25]

i remember reading something on compression a while back. It had to do with that player with higher swings speed can use any golf ball, which slow swing speeds should use a ball with lower compression, because they don't have the clubhead speed to compress the ball properly with high compression golf ball. i believe some tour players have dropped to a lower compression golf ball. I believe it gives them more spin around the greens because it stays in contact with the clubhead long.

[Spyder]

I personally don't pay any mind to the "ideal" swing speed labeled on the box. I play the Srixon AD333 and retain a nearly an identical approach shot as to when I was playing Tour caliber golf balls, such as the Srixon Z-Star, Titleist Pro V1, Callaway Tour i(s), or Bridgestone B330 RX. A ton of elitists will scoff at what I just said, but I prefer my AD333 and Q-Star. For me , it does not change my mindset in regards to spin, control, touch, or feel. Hit whatever is comfortable for you. If you like a specific brand, go with it. Your mind at ease is the largest factoring component to a successful golf round in my opinion.

Example: The AD333 is rated at 80mph. My swing speed is around 105-109. The only noticeable difference perhaps, is the occasional "higher than normal trajectory" off the Driver. By no means is it ballooned though.